Method and circuitry for providing a clear profile of image data displayed in an electro-optic device

ABSTRACT

An electro-optical device and a method for displaying an image are disclosed. A clear image with a clear profile can be displayed therein by processing input image data, for example input image data of TV broadcasting received by the device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a display device such as a direct-projectiontype of television receiver, a projection type display device, an imageoutput device for a computer, etc., which utilizes a cathode-ray-tube(CRT), a liquid crystal device, a plasma device, an electroluminescencedevice, an electrochromic device or the like. Also, this inventionrelates to a method for displaying an image.

2. Description of the Prior Art

When a color image is displayed with plural dots in a conventionaldisplay device, plural colored areas such as A-colored area, B-coloredarea, C-colored area, D-colored area, etc., are separately displayed forany color image. Also, in both cases of monochromatic image and colorimage, the image is displayed with areas having different brightnessbeing separated respectively. In this display manner, a mixing colorfrequently occurs at a boundary between the different colored areas onthe display device, and thus a clear image can not be displayed. Also,color becomes ambiguous at a boundary between the areas having differentbrightness. This is not only because of the problem of the ability ofthe display device, but also because high frequency components in theimage signal are cut when the image signal is created or processed tosend the image signal to the display device, that is, before the imagesignal is received by the display device. The signal waveform becomesgentle by the cut. This becomes a problem particularly in the case ofthe display for office automation which requires high definition.

In order to overcome the above disadvantage, the following method hasboon adopted.

That is, as shown in FIG. 3, an original image data 1 is subjected to aprofiling processing to obtain a profile image data 2, and then theoriginal image data 1 and the profile image data 2 are synthesized witheach other to obtain a synthesized image data 3, thereby displaying thesynthesized image data 3 on the display device.

However, this method requires a very high-speed calculation per frame,and thus has been unsuitable for a dynamical image displaying operationwhich requires a displaying speed above 60 frames per second.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It Is an object of the present invention to provide novel methods fordisplaying an image with a clear outline (profile).

It is another object of the present invention to provide anelectro-optical device capable of displaying an image with a clearoutline (profile).

According to one of the novel methods, the most marginal profile ofneighboring same color areas is colored with black, thereby depressingthe color mixing between neighboring different color areas.

In accordance with the present invention, an electro-optical device fordisplaying a color image with a dot matrix comprising dots on pluralX-axes and Y-axes In a dot-sequential scanning operation or aline-sequential scanning operation, includes means for converting colordata of most marginal positions of plural adjacent image data of samecolor on the X-axes into a back-color data when the image data of samecolor are adjacently arranged on any one of the X-axes.

According to the same concept, color data of most marginal positions ofplural adjacent image data of same color on the Y-axes can be convertedinto a black-color data when the image data of same color are adjacentlyarranged on any one of the Y-axes.

According to the electro-optical device thus constructed, such a clearimage (data 3) as shown in FIG. 3 can be obtained without a high-speeddisplaying operation utilized in the conventional display device.

In the foregoing description, when plural image data of same color areadjacently arranged, the color data at the most marginal positions orthe image data are converted into backcolor data to obtain a clearimage. In place of the color conversion, when plural image data of sameluminance (light intensity) are adjacently arranged in a gradationdisplaying operation, the luminance (light intensity) data at the mostmarginal positions of the image data may be changed to high or lowluminance (great or weak light intensity) data to obtain a clear image.This technique is applied to a case where when a high-luminance image(more retina-stimulating image) is displayed with a background of lowluminance, a profile of the high-luminance image (that is, a morerecognizable image) is further stressed (that is, the light intensity ofthe profile of the image is further intensified) to thereby bring animage to be displayed (e.g., a white letter) into relief from abackground (e.g., a white background) and obtain a clear image.

Therefore, in this invention, not only color-conversion to black color,but also variation of luminance (light intensity) can be performedindividually or in combination when plural same color image data areadjacently arranged on the display device.

In a combination of special colors, there is a case where colors otherthan black color are required as the color into which the color data ofthe most marginal positions of the adjacently-arranged image data shouldbe converted. This invention is also applicable to this case by changingthe color conversion from the black color to the color conversion toanother color.

Methods obtained by generalizing a bit mathematically the above idea areas follows.

One method is to calculate an average brightness of input image data ina specific section and then to divide the specific section into areashaving brightness of input image data not lower than the averagebrightness and areas having brightness of input image data not higherthan the average brightness. And a maximal value (maximum value) and aminimal value (minimum value) or the areas are used as output data fordisplaying those areas. The discontinuous maximal and minimal values ofthose areas may be outputted, however, tone and brightness are steeplychanged between the areas in this case, so that the image thus displayedmight give an unnatural impression visually, This unnaturalness can beavoided by providing a transition section between the area of themaximal value and the area of the minimal value to connect the area ofthe maximal value to the area of the minimal value and vice versa by newdata of the transition section which are continuously changed in thebrightness thereof. For example, the gradient or input image data at across point of input image data with the average is calculated and thena straight line having the gradient and passing through the cross pointis used as the image data for the transition section.

Another method is to calculate absolute values of a derived function ofthe input image data and to use, as output image data for a sectionsandwiched between addresses having absolute values showing peaks in thederived function, the input image data at the lowest absolute values inthe same section in the derived function. In this case too,discontinuous brightness is displayed as in the above method, so thatthe problem as mentioned above can be overcome in the same way.

Further, another method is to calculate absolute values of a derivedfunction of the input image data and to use, as output image data, dataobtained by emphasizing only the adjacency of the absolute valuesshowing peaks. That is, since tone and brightness of the image aretransiting at the peak points of the absolute values of the derivedfunction, the presence of the transition section can be emphasized byemphasizing the adjacency of the peak points.

The above methods are effective for emphasizing the boundary betweenadjacent areas having different tone and brightness. That is, in theabove methods, the display device has a system to distinguish boundariesand to correct images in accordance with the boundaries by somemechanical or automatic means. The display device having such a systemis effective not only as a usual office automation instruments but alsoas a display device for amusement.

For example, 525 scanning lines are used for TV broadcasting of NTSCsystem. When the width or the image plane is made 1.5 times as long asthe height thereof to increase the horizontal resolution to 600 lines,which is 525 lines ×1.5, a wideband carrier wave of at least 30 MHz Isrequired. However, only a few MHz was applied actually, so that it wasimpossible to transmit fine images. In particular, the image in thewidth direction became blurry or ambiguous though that in the heightdirection had high definition. This is because high frequency componentsof the image carrier wave band were cut, that is, image signals weremade gentle.

On the other hand, the ambiguousness or images has not been recognizedin the case of CRT system. Since the CRT system utilizes dot sequentialscanning system, special high frequency circuit for processing signals,e.g. electron beam having such a high frequency as 30 MHz, isindispensable.

However, conditions are different in displays such as LCD and PDP whichutilize line sequential scanning system. For example, in the devicessuch as LCD and PDP in 800×525 matrix as the above, image signals percolumn are processed parallel, so that the process time is 800 times asshort as that of CRT system display. Hence, the above-mentioned imageprocessing is considered to be suitable to, specifically, LCD and PDP.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and from a part ofthe invention and together with the description, serve to explain theprinciple or the invention.

FIG. 1 shows the construction of a display device according to thisinvention;

FIGS. 2(A) and 2(B) are flowcharts for a system of this invention;

FIG. 2(C) shows an example of data processing or the present invention;

FIG. 3 shows an example of data processing;

FIG. 4 shows an example of data processing of the present invention;

FIG. 5 shows an example or data processing or the present invention; and

FIG. 6 shows an example of data processing of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Preferred embodiments of this invention will be described hereunder withreference to the accompanying drawings.

Embodiment 1

This embodiment will be described representatively in a case where aliquid crystal display device having 640×400 dots is used.

In FIG. 1, the liquid crystal display device includes an X-axis driverand a Y-axis driver which is enclosed by a dotted line in FIG. 1. Thesedrivers are connected to a liquid crystal matrix (LCD in FIG. 1) and asignal line for transmitting a data is provided for the Y-axis driver.

A data processing unit *A successively carries out a data processing foran input data in accordance with a flowchart as shown in FIG. 2(A) totransmit the processed data to the Y-axis driver which is enclosed by adotted line in FIG. 1. A data processing unit *B successively carriesout a data processing for an input data in accordance with a flowchartas shown in FIG. 2(B) to transmit the processed data to a Y-axiselectrode.

Referring to FIG. 2(C), a data which is actually utilized is shown.Three red color dots (R) are successively arranged from the left end ofthe dot row, and a green color dot is next arranged adjacent to the redcolor dot. Therefore, the third red color dot from the left end of thedot row is subjected to the data processing to be changed to a blackcolor dot (BL). Similarly, the tenth dot having green color and thethirteenth dot having blue color from the loft end of the dot row arechanged to black color dots, respectively. However, the second dothaving blue color and the first dot having red color from the right andof the dot row are not changed, as shown in FIG. 2(C), because thesecolor dots does not have the same color.

In this embodiment, ferroelectric liquid crystal is used for the liquidcrystal display device. However, the effect of this invention can beobtained using STN, TN or dispersing type liquid crystal display device,EL display device, plasma display device, and so on.

Embodiment 2

This embodiment shows an example of image processing in one section fromX_(i) to X_(j) of one row in an image. 3 pixels or more are necessary inthis section, However, 20 pixels or more are desirable in the sense ofmathematical process. Alternatively, one entire image plans may be anobject. Data to be inputted in this section are illustrated in FIG.4(A). Firstly, an average value is calculated with respect to thebrightness of the data inputted in this section and is indicated with adotted line in FIG. 4(A). Then, this section is divided into areashaving a data higher than the average and lower than the average,respectively, namely, area a (X_(i) to X₁), area b (X₁ to X₂), area C(X₂ to X₃). and area d (X₃ to X_(j)), as in the figure, The maximumvalue in the area a, the minimum value in the area b, the maximum valuein the area c, and the minimum value in the area d are to be used asoutput image data for this section. One example is illustrated with achain line in FIG. 4(B).

However, since the values of the output data are discontinuous,processed image tends to give an unnatural impression visually. In orderto remove this discontinuity, the output values in the areas areconnected to each other by a straight line having an appropriategradient, to make them continuous. The appropriate gradient is thegradient of the input data at each point of X₁, X₂, and X₃, which arethe boundary between the areas. Concretely, a straight line having thegradient of such each point and passing through such each point isutilized. This straight line is connected to the maximum and minimumvalues in the areas, whereby data illustrated with a full line (solidline) in FIG. 4(B) is obtained and used as output image data.

Embodiment 3

This embodiment shows the process of operating (calculating) an outputimage data, based on a derived function of an input image data. In thecame way as in Embodiment 2, data shown in FIG. 5(A) is inputted frompixel X_(i) to pixel X_(j) of one row. This data is immediatelysubjected to differential or other equivalent operation, to obtain aderived function thereof. Absolute values of the derived function thusobtained are as shown in FIG. 5(B). The simplest way of calculating thederived function is to calculate the difference between the input imagedata f(X_(k)) and f(X_(k+1)) of adjacent pixels X_(k) and X_(k+1).

In FIG. 5(B), the absolute value of the derived function at each of X₂,X₄, and X₆ shows a peak (is maximal), and the absolute value at each ofX₁, X₃, and X₅ is minimal. Then, areas sandwiched between these peakvalues are defined as area a (the left area to X₂), area b (X₂ to X₄),area c (X₄ to X₆), and area d (the right area from X₆). Utilized as anoutput data for each area is an input data having a minimum absolutevalue or each area in the derived function. For example, input dataf(X₁) at X₁ is used as output data of the area a and input data f(X₃) atX₃ is used as output data in the area b. The absolute values of thederived function at X₁ and X₃ are zero, which means the maximum orminimum value in the respective section as shown in FIG. 5(A). On theother hand, an input data f(X₅) at X₅ is used as output data in the areac, and it should be noted that f (X₅) is neither the maximum nor minimumvalues in the section. The output data processed in the above manner isas illustrated in FIG. 5(C).

It is not necessary in this embodiment to divide an input image datainto some sections like in Embodiment 2. In Embodiment 2, in the casethat the specified section is too large, for example, in the case thatthe data in one row is defined as one section, if the average value inthe row is different from that in the next row, the output signals mightbecome largely different though the difference between the input signalsis small. Inversely, if the specified section is too small, the objectof the present invention, namely to display clear images with clearprofiles, cannot be achieved sufficiently. For example, although thestructure in the area c in FIG. 4(A) is very complicated, it isirresistible that this structure is ignored, because the value in eacharea is mechanically judged to be higher or lower than the average valueof the specified section.

On the other hand, this embodiment does not include the process ofcalculating an average value after specifying the section, so that evena complicated structure in a small part, sufficiently smaller than thespecified section in Embodiment 2, can be caught and thereby theunnaturalness of images can be reduced.

Embodiment 4

This embodiment is explained with reference to FIG. 6. In a TVbroadcasting for example, it is difficult to transmit a signal of aboundary at which a signal value is steeply changed because thefrequency band which can be utilized for broadcasting is limited, asmentioned above. In order to transmit a boundary image, e.g. a boundaryline image having original signal described with a dotted line in FIG.6(A), quite a lot of high frequency components are required. However,although the original signal is as described with a dotted line in FIG.6(A), the image signal actually received and processed is transformed asillustrated with a full line (solid line) in FIG. 6(A).

If such a transformed image signal is outputted as it is, the imageobtained becomes ambiguous and unclear. Therefore, it is required torestore the transformed image signal to a signal close to the originalone by some way. For this reason, it is attempted in this embodiment tooutput an image signal close to an original signal by distinguishing aboundary and emphasizing an image signal at the boundary.

For distinguishing boundaries, a derived function or an input signal iscalculated, and peak points of absolute values of the derived functionare distinguished as boundaries. In other words, the points where asignal value is steeply changed may be considered as boundaries. In thiscase however, the absolute value of the derived function right show apeak even though the signal value is changed gently. A portion where thechange of the signal value is gentle should be excluded from theemphasizing because it is hard to consider that an original signal has asteep change at such a portion. A limiter level (threshold level) of theabsolute value of the derived function may be decided in order to defineas a boundary only the peak which exceeds the limiter level.

After thus distinguishing a boundary, the input signal value at theboundary (designated by a in FIG. 5) is processed to emphasize theboundary. For example, when an input signal value is f(X) at anarbitrary point X located near the boundary, the value g(X) can be usedas an output signal, which is calculated with the following formula:

    g(X)=f(a)+ f(a)!exp  1/(X-a).sup.2 !(X±a).

More generally,

    g(X)=f(a)+ f(X)-f(a)!h(X-a) (X±a).

The function h(X) is converged to 1 when X is infinitude orinfinitesimal, and when X=0, the function h(X) becomes infinitude orfinite positive value.

In a practical manner, however, such a full calculation is not carriedout. After distinguishing a boundary in pixels in the above-mentionedway, the difference f(X)-f(a)! is multiplied by a specific value forevery distant pixel and then f(a) is added to the result of themultiplication, to thereby obtain an output signal. For example, in thecase that the pixel X_(k) is distinguished as a boundary, the adjacentpixel X_(k+1) is multiplied by 2.72, X_(k+2) by 1.28, X_(k+3) by 1.12,X_(k+4) by 1.08, X_(k+5) by 1.04, X_(k+6) by 1.03, and X_(k+7) andX_(k+8) by 1.02, respectively, and further distant pixels are notsubjected to the multiplication process. The same process is carried outto the pixels located in the inverse direction of the above pixels,i.e., X_(k-1), X_(k-2), X_(k-3), X_(k-4), X_(k-5), X_(k-6), X_(k-7), andX_(k-8). This process Is substantially the same as in the case orh(X)=exp(2/X²) in the above formula.

Alternatively, more simple flowchart may be substituted for such amathematically severe restoration. That is, the pixel adjacent to thepixel distinguished as a boundary is multiplied by 10, the second pixelfrom the boundary pixel by 5, the third one by 3, the fourth one by 2,the fifth one by 1.5, the sixth one by 1.2, and the seventh one by 1.1,respectively, and further distant pixels are not subjected to themultiplication process.

This embodiment has the same technical idea as Embodiment 1, and ischaracterized by distinguishing a boundary mathematically and processingnot only the pixel distinguished as the boundary but also theneighboring pixels in one specific area. Unlike Embodiments 2 and 3,signals in the area other than the boundary portion are not regulateduniformly, therefore continuous change of fine tone and brightness canbe maintained.

As explained hereinbefore, in accordance with the method of the presentinvention, an area having plurality of dots being or the same color orthe same brightness can be automatically distinguished and the boundaryportion is emphasized by outlining the end portion of the area withblack or by the calculation process. By virtue of this emphasizingprocess, the gentle transition is removed, whereby mixture of colors canbe prevented and a clear image can be displayed.

In Embodiment 1, the process to signals Is carried out while data aretransmitted to an image display device such as LCD and PDP. Hence, theprocess speed is not lowered, and accordingly the process is applicableto an image moving at high speed. In the other embodiments, the processneeds a bit longer period of time, however, it does not become a problemif every column can be processed parallel in one image plane like LCDand PDP.

What is claimed is:
 1. An electro-optical device comprising:a pluralityof pixels arranged in horizontally extending rows and verticallyextending columns in a matrix where said pixels are continuouslyarranged in each of said rows and have successive addresses along eachof said rows; and means for converting into black color or dark grayimage data, original image data of an end one of said addresses of atleast a predetermined number of adjacent ones of the continuous pixelsin each said row of said matrix in response to said predetermined numberof adjacent pixels having the same original color image data.
 2. Thedevice of claim 1 wherein said means can supply the converted image datato said pixels to display an image of said pixels in accordance with theconverted image data.
 3. The device of claim 1 wherein said means cansupply the converted image data to said pixels to project an image on ascreen in accordance with the converted image data.
 4. The device ofclaim 1 wherein said electro-optical device is a liquid crystal display.5. An electro-optical device comprising:a plurality of pixels arrangedin horizontally extending rows and vertically extending columns in amatrix where said pixels are continuously arranged in each of saidcolumns and have successive addresses along each of said columns; andmeans for converting into black color or dark gray image data originalimage data of an end one of said addresses of at least a predeterminednumber of adjacent ones of the continuous pixels in each said column ofsaid matrix in response to said predetermined number of adjacent pixelshaving the same original image data.
 6. The device of claim 5 whereinsaid means can supply the converted image data to said pixels to displayan image said pixels in accordance with the converted image data.
 7. Thedevice of claim 5 wherein said means can supply the converted image datato said pixels to project an image on a screen in accordance with theconverted image data.